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World Briefing | Europe: Belgium: Suits Against Bush And Blair

Belgium said it had received lawsuits against President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain under a controversial war crimes law. But it said it had transferred the cases to the United States and Britain, reducing their chances of reaching a court. The Justice Ministry declined to say by whom the lawsuits were filed, but the law allows anyone to bring war crimes charges in Belgian courts. It was recently amended to allow the government to dismiss politically motivated cases by transferring them to the defendants' home country, as was also done with a recent lawsuit brought by a group of Iraqis against Gen. Tommy R. Franks, commander of allied forces in Iraq. The United States has said it wants Belgium to strike the law altogether.